The Wroclaw Municipal Stadium

August 1, 2012

Dropped in at the Wroclaw Municipal Stadium on the outskirts of Wroclaw the new home of Slask Wroclaw on the way back to the UK after the Euro 2012 tournament and I can honestly say that this stadium that is supposed to resemble a Chinese lantern – definitely doesn’t! It does however look like a giant lamp shade. On taking pictures for this article and for nostalgia it became apparent no matter where you stand around the ground on the ‘esplanade’ you would get the same image. The stadium is pretty much a huge concrete and metal grey box (said to have a capacity of 42,771) with no fancy sponsorship/ advertising hoardings or light shows like that of the National Stadium in Warsaw. Though it does fulfil JSK Architekci architects vision – the stadium is recognisable and does reflect a dynamic city.

Approching the lantern in Wroclaw

The Muncipal Sadium, Wroclaw a.k.a The Chinese Lantern
From the stadiums that were visited on this tour across Poland and the Ukraine the legacy of this stadium has the greatest visible impact on the surrounding community and locality. As we travelled towards the ground we journeyed along a hung new motorway that was encased in giant metal concave blockades that must have been introduced as noise defenders for the local area which to be honest looked like that they would amplify the noise of the traffic not reduce it! Moreover, and I wish I had taken some photos many of the local communistic drab building that should be knocked down were being overhauled and repainted in funky and bright colours – whole blocks of flats painted in reds, blues and yellows were a truly fantastic site and certainly added warmth to a very suburban area. Further developments were also being developed to the north east of the stadium; these buildings seemed to be more executive – lower rising houses and apartments which looked very flash and expensive.

The Muncipal Sadium, Wroclaw a.k.a The Chinese Lantern

Approching the lantern in Wroclaw
It was clear to see that the city of Wroclaw embraced the giant lantern that resides a good 30 minutes drive west of the city centre which I later discovered was opened by a George Michael concert and then later the WBC heavyweight title between Tomasz Adamek and Vitali Klitschko in September 2011. But only a few days after the group games had finished in this historic city it was if a huge football tournament had not been held in the city as it was so quiet in and around the city centre and the Wroclaw Municipal Stadium.